Tupac Resurrection:
Life of Rap Legend Tupac Amaru Shakur
“ I am real. The lyrics might be a story or they might be real. But I stay real; I am never a story, never a script, never a character.”
-- Tupac, Tupac: Resurrection “I felt that the only thing that could kill me is death, and even though, my music live forever.”
Outspoken, a controversial rap legend, a pioneer in the rap industry shot dead. An intelligent man with great passion in writing, he tried to reform the government, and to open the eyes of all people who had heard his music. Tupac Amaru Shakur.
Tupac: Resurrection was a story about violence, ambition, redemption and love.
In this documentary, Resurrection, Tupac himself was narrating the story. Lauren Lazin decided that the narration was from gathered phrases or words of Tupac while he was still alive. It feels like Tupac himself was speaking to the audience beyond grave. By Tupac’s statements in the beginning of the documentary, it is obvious that in his 20’s, he already has these feelings of what will happen to him. He was prophetic and perceptive: “I got shot, I always felt like I’d be shot.” He felt that his life was short and would not be enough for all the reforms and improvements he dreamt of achieving, so he wrote songs and recorded three full albums per day.
The documentary, with an ‘R’ rating, narrated Tupac’s life from his birth, his acting career during his teenage years, the beginning of his rapping, the start of his career in the music industry, then his death in Las Vegas. The film acknowledged Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother, for raising a good man despite her complicated life. Afeni was a member of the Black Panther, a group of black people who fought against the discrimination of the (white) American government. Tupac admired his mother so much that he absorbed his mother’s ideologies about politics and her fury with the wrong doings of the government. Afeni was the executive producer of this film.
Throughout Tupac’s life, all he wanted to be was an angel of God and do something that could give plenty of help. Tupac knew that this was not impossible because he was an artist. He might not tell the truth; instead he would tell the story and reach out to the people. These were witnessed at times when he was fighting against discrimination of “black” and “white” Americans. He spoke about poverty. Tupac even said how their president could say something about homelessness when he himself doesn’t know how it feels because he lives in the White House with several rooms. He also spoke about respecting women.
As Tupac spoke about his friends and his relationship with them, it was accompanied by photos and or short clips that were appropriate. The film not only highlighted positive memories of Pac’s life, but also gave equal significance to his flaws. It showed his altercations with his “number one” enemy, the police.
The film gave reasons for the kind of life Tupac lived. He attended “dirty parties” so that he would feel like an ordinary man, unprivileged and infamous. Tupac composed a “code of thug” which explained clearly that “thug life” was not supposed to have a negative connotation.
Also, a short video of the start of the chaos that happened in a casino in Las Vegas was shown. However, the part where he was shot five times in the chest (according to the film) was not exposed. It was narrated in way that Tupac laughed sadly about his death. Even though at the time Lazin made this documentary there were several suspects already, he made Tupac sound like he really perceived his death. This film showed complexities and not plain definition.
The documentary was made to make people understand Tupac. It was not made to make people love him, but accept him as he was, a plain good. However, there was a part in the film where Tupac appeared to be bragging about his money and fame. He did that because of the “rap wars” and Biggie Smalls (another rapper) was making him look like a worthless rapper.
The documentary served as a summary of all his writing, his poems and lyrics. He felt that he would not be able to change the world while he was living, but then he did everything to record all his composed songs. “I just feel like I have to tell something about things affecting the society” Tupac said.
As I stared at the pictures of Tupac Shakur, smiling; as I watched his videos and he was laughing, I felt like he was a part of me. His face showed real love, contentment, happiness, although he underwent complicated situations. Tupac maybe rude but he was full of wisdom; he may not be a good influence for some but no one can do what he has done. Tupac lived with great faith in God. He did not regret that he died at the age of 25. Like he said, everything was God’s plan, and he was happy with how God made him.
Life of Rap Legend Tupac Amaru Shakur
“ I am real. The lyrics might be a story or they might be real. But I stay real; I am never a story, never a script, never a character.”
-- Tupac, Tupac: Resurrection “I felt that the only thing that could kill me is death, and even though, my music live forever.”
Outspoken, a controversial rap legend, a pioneer in the rap industry shot dead. An intelligent man with great passion in writing, he tried to reform the government, and to open the eyes of all people who had heard his music. Tupac Amaru Shakur.
Tupac: Resurrection was a story about violence, ambition, redemption and love.
In this documentary, Resurrection, Tupac himself was narrating the story. Lauren Lazin decided that the narration was from gathered phrases or words of Tupac while he was still alive. It feels like Tupac himself was speaking to the audience beyond grave. By Tupac’s statements in the beginning of the documentary, it is obvious that in his 20’s, he already has these feelings of what will happen to him. He was prophetic and perceptive: “I got shot, I always felt like I’d be shot.” He felt that his life was short and would not be enough for all the reforms and improvements he dreamt of achieving, so he wrote songs and recorded three full albums per day.
The documentary, with an ‘R’ rating, narrated Tupac’s life from his birth, his acting career during his teenage years, the beginning of his rapping, the start of his career in the music industry, then his death in Las Vegas. The film acknowledged Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother, for raising a good man despite her complicated life. Afeni was a member of the Black Panther, a group of black people who fought against the discrimination of the (white) American government. Tupac admired his mother so much that he absorbed his mother’s ideologies about politics and her fury with the wrong doings of the government. Afeni was the executive producer of this film.
Throughout Tupac’s life, all he wanted to be was an angel of God and do something that could give plenty of help. Tupac knew that this was not impossible because he was an artist. He might not tell the truth; instead he would tell the story and reach out to the people. These were witnessed at times when he was fighting against discrimination of “black” and “white” Americans. He spoke about poverty. Tupac even said how their president could say something about homelessness when he himself doesn’t know how it feels because he lives in the White House with several rooms. He also spoke about respecting women.
As Tupac spoke about his friends and his relationship with them, it was accompanied by photos and or short clips that were appropriate. The film not only highlighted positive memories of Pac’s life, but also gave equal significance to his flaws. It showed his altercations with his “number one” enemy, the police.
The film gave reasons for the kind of life Tupac lived. He attended “dirty parties” so that he would feel like an ordinary man, unprivileged and infamous. Tupac composed a “code of thug” which explained clearly that “thug life” was not supposed to have a negative connotation.
Also, a short video of the start of the chaos that happened in a casino in Las Vegas was shown. However, the part where he was shot five times in the chest (according to the film) was not exposed. It was narrated in way that Tupac laughed sadly about his death. Even though at the time Lazin made this documentary there were several suspects already, he made Tupac sound like he really perceived his death. This film showed complexities and not plain definition.
The documentary was made to make people understand Tupac. It was not made to make people love him, but accept him as he was, a plain good. However, there was a part in the film where Tupac appeared to be bragging about his money and fame. He did that because of the “rap wars” and Biggie Smalls (another rapper) was making him look like a worthless rapper.
The documentary served as a summary of all his writing, his poems and lyrics. He felt that he would not be able to change the world while he was living, but then he did everything to record all his composed songs. “I just feel like I have to tell something about things affecting the society” Tupac said.
As I stared at the pictures of Tupac Shakur, smiling; as I watched his videos and he was laughing, I felt like he was a part of me. His face showed real love, contentment, happiness, although he underwent complicated situations. Tupac maybe rude but he was full of wisdom; he may not be a good influence for some but no one can do what he has done. Tupac lived with great faith in God. He did not regret that he died at the age of 25. Like he said, everything was God’s plan, and he was happy with how God made him.
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